Album: Maybe You Should Drive (1994)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Jane St. Clair, the title character of the song, is named after an intersection in Toronto. Jane Street and St. Clair Avenue intersect, which gave Steve Page the idea for the song. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Charles - New York, NY
  • Page, who sings lead on this track, wrote the song with Stephen Duffy, who was the original lead singer in Duran Duran. Duffy and Page also cowrote the Maybe You Should Drive song "The Wrong Man Was Convicted"; he later formed a successful writing partnership with Robbie Williams, resulting in the hits "Radio" and "Tripping."

Comments: 6

  • Julianna from TorontoThe name choice of Julianna actually came from me. The lead singer got the idea to use my name when he met me and my mom when he took his daughter Hannah to this gymboree class when she was young. My mom and him were always partners and he got the idea of the name from learning my name!
  • Sam from Lincoln, NeIn live performances of the song, Steven Page has been known to change the line "no Julianna next to my Evan" to "no Julie Andrews next to my Evan".
  • Herbie from Toronto, CanadaJane and St clair was the home of the slaughter yards in toronto and to this day on hot days you can smell the dead meat
  • Sweet Billy from Colchester, CtThe Julianna / Evan line refers to Julianna Hatfield and Evan Dando, who were dating at the time that Jane was written.
  • Annabeth from Kutztown, PaWhat's w/ the Julianna and Evan line?
  • Elrond47 from Hamilton, CanadaApparently, when Steven Page was taking his friend Stephen Duffy (who also writes some songs with/for BNL) around Toronto for a bit of a tour, Duffy saw the intersection and claimed it would be a beautiful name for a person/song. Page didn't have the heart to tell him that that intersection, as well as the neighbouring areas of those specific streets were anything but beautiful, but came up with the idea for the song anyways. The song itslef seems to be about a relationship the singer had that "Jane" broke off, but that the singer thinks could still work.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Grammar In Lyrics

Grammar In LyricsMusic Quiz

Lyrics don't always follow the rules of grammar. Can you spot the ones that don't?

Chris Squire of Yes

Chris Squire of YesSongwriter Interviews

One of the most dynamic bass player/songwriters of his time, Chris is the only member of Yes who has been with the band since they formed in 1968.

Krishna Das

Krishna DasSongwriter Interviews

The top chant artist in the Western world, Krishna Das talks about how these Hindu mantras compare to Christian worship songs.

Rick Springfield

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.